Body in gunny bags: Police arrest couple

Investigation found that the body was found in three different places in the city.

Our teams were investigating the case from all angles. On Tuesday we received information that the murder was due to money issue and Jonas was behind this.

Mangaluru: Within three days after the body of a women was found in gunny bags, Mangaluru City Police have cracked the case and arrested a couple.

On Sunday two gunny bags were found near the highway between KPT and Nanthoor. A woman was murdered and cut into pieces. The body parts were packed in bags and disposed of in different places.

The police identified the victim as Shreemathi Shetty, a resident of Amar Alva Road near near Alape. Investigation found that the body was found in three different places in the city.

Police Commissioner Sandeep Patil had formed three squads to probe the case. He later told the media that the accused were Jonas Jolin Samson and his wife Victoria Mathais of Sootarpet in Mangaluru.

"Our teams were investigating the case from all angles. On Tuesday we received information that the murder was due to money issue and Jonas was behind this. Based on this information when our police went to Jonas house, he tried to commit suicide. He was immediately rushed to Fr Muller Hospital. The co accused Victoria is in our custody and being questioned," Patil told reporters.

Jonas is out of danger and is under treatment. Police would take him for questioning shortly.

The Commissioner said that while questioning Victoria they came to know Jonas, who ran a fast food joint at Nandigudde, had borrowed money (about Rs 1 lakh) from Shreemathi, who owns an electrical shop at Attavar. He was yet to return Rs 60,000.

Shreemathi was pestering Jonas to return the money. On Saturday she had gone to his house and they got into an argument, following which Jonas killed Shreemathi.

The body was later cut into pieces. At night Jonas put them in three bags and took them on his two-wheeler. He disposed the body in different places and hid the two-wheeler at his friend's house.

The police have recovered the vehicle, the gold chain and rings of the victim.

Police are investigating whether anybody else was involved in the murder or disposal of body. More details are expected once the police take Jonas into custody after he is discharged from the hospital.

Meanwhile police have also found that Jonas was an accused in the murder of a person in 2010.

Jonas was facing financial crisis and was forced to close his fast food joint a month ago.